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The Senate has officially gotten through Crossover Day and the innumerable amount of bills that were discussed and voted on are truly indicative of the monumental amounts of legislative success we have been able to achieve this session. It has been an absolute pleasure to serve Senate District 29 and I am confident that this level of progress will be sustained in the coming weeks.

Out of the roughly 60 bills the Senate passed, two of which were my own and multiple others would expand precautionary public safety measures and opportunities for success. In relation to the bills I have authored, Senate Bill 272 would prohibit the sale of drug products containing dextromethorphan to minors and the other bill, Senate Bill 412, is related to property insurance. With SB 412, motor vehicle property insurance coverage would be expanded to include wheels, keys, vehicle repairs and more. Another bill worth addressing is Senate Bill 423, which similarly relates to the security of those around us by placing a specific emphasis on our children. SB 423, otherwise known as the Max Gruver Act, would revise the definition of hazing and would establish greater penalties if the act has resulted in serious bodily harm or death.

While the Senate discussed and vetted a copious amount of legislation this week, we also held a small list of committee meetings that were intended to prolong conversations regarding some of the challenges affecting Georgia. One of which concerned by bill, Senate Bill 485, which is related to safer driving practices. With this, SB 435 would require individuals convicted of a first offense of driving while under the influence to install ignition interlock devices on their cars. This device would prevent the ability for certain people, deemed as potential public safety risk to others, from driving and causing undue harm on the roads. Too many lives have been lost due to drunk driving and we must fix that, so our family and friends are able to come home safe and sound.

Following Crossover Day, the Senate has decided to indefinitely suspend the legislative session out of an abundance of caution towards the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). Mirroring other actions taken throughout the state and the nation, this measure aims to ensure the protection of health and safety for all Georgians. As with any decision during the legislative session, this was not taken lightly and I will continue to represent Senate District 29 throughout this period. There is still work to be done and I know that we will undoubtedly pick up where we left off at a later date, but for the time being, we must focus on preventing the spread of the virus and expanding response efforts. If you have any questions or concerns about current circumstances, please don’t hesitate to reach out to my office.